Storage Heaters

[Joeboy]

We added a further 1.7kW storage heater to the house today. It also has a small thermostatic control heating element for instant heat. That brings us up to 5.1kW of storage heating evenly split across both floors, capable of storing 25.5kWh of power. Each of the four units has its own Hive plug and all are scheduled to charge for the 5 hour Go Faster window. We are using the GCH now and then as the temp drops are too much on some nights to cope and we like to walk down to a decent temp in the morning across the whole lower floor not just the big lounge (WS).

In saying that I took a gas reading yesterday and since the morning of the 31st Dec to Yesterday Morning (8 full 24hr cycles) we have used 154 kWh gas. An average of 19.25 kWh per day.

January 21 we were running at an average of 102kWh gas per day
Jan 20 111kWh
Jan 19 104kWh
Jan 18 137kWh, and so it goes, increasing as we go back it time.

With the latest storage heater in place I reckon we'll trim that 19.25kWh per day back a little. Regardless of the outcome of this latest addition I have NEVER approached a Winter Month with a potential 600kWh gas use, not too long ago Jan would have been 4MWh on its own.

Never gonna win any awards for prettiest thing Yet it's doing its bit.

I've said this before and I think it is worth repeating. These 1970's tech storage heaters with a 80's look to them need only a Hive Plug or similar along with a solar array or decent TOU tarriff season depending and they can continue to be a viable option. I honestly think they are absolutely cracking! The one installed today had a dry joint on it which took a little hunting down. Amazing really, a tiny bit of corrosion and 1.7kW won't flow.

There's a thread knocking about with some of you guys posting your annual and monthly figures 'Clucking Bell' I thought, there are some deeply impressive results and plans there. I don't suppose we will ever know but we must GWh's of power not wasted between as all? Cheers!

[GarethC]

I've a feeling that storage heaters could make a strong comeback. I know I've said it before, but they seem like a relatively easy way to leverage the fact that the UK's overnight electricity is, thanks to our growing wind generation, pretty green and cheap these days. And it's only going to get greener (and maybe cheaper).

I think the new ones with modern controls and better insulation will probably drive that. The only surprising thing is that, last time I checked, for what's really quite simple technology, they're currently surprisingly expensive.

[Bugtownboy]

I was going to propose the same thing, Gareth. If we do have to move away from GCH (we do), heat pumps are not going to be feasible/practical for so many.

SH, whilst not benefitting from an attractive COP, may be a quick and easy solution, that when whole life costs are taken into account, are a reasonable solution.

Just depends what happens to TOU tariffs when the number of BEV’s increases significantly and overnight resistive heating expands.

[Stinsy]

I think the new ones with modern controls and better insulation will probably drive that. The only surprising thing is that, last time I checked, for what's really quite simple technology, they're currently surprisingly expensive.

I bought one of the super fancy ones for my garden office last year. Think it was £650 for the smallest model available. If you open it up and look inside they are astonishingly simple machines and the so-called “smart” features were a pile of poo. A £20 smartplug is way smarter!

Agreed on storage heaters being the future. If only we could be sure of continued cheap overnight power. Octopus are putting their cheap rate up by 50% on renewal…

[nowty]

Its the only reason Nowty Towers is still running with the gas boiler permanently off and combined with the Intelligent Octopus giving me 6 hrs of cheap rate to boost them to the max.

I have two giving a combined storage of about 15kWh and they just work so well along side the low power heatpump. And as we get towards spring there will be increasingly enough Solar to boost them automatically via my Immersun.

I'm glad I bought dumb ones several years back because they are double price now and like Stinsy says, full of Smart Eco crap which has to be bypassed if you want them to work with Solar diverters.

[Joeboy]

Its the only reason Nowty Towers is still running with the gas boiler permanently off and combined with the Intelligent Octopus giving me 6 hrs of cheap rate to boost them to the max.

I have two giving a combined storage of about 15kWh and they just work so well along side the low power heatpump. And as we get towards spring there will be increasingly enough Solar to boost them automatically via my Immersun.

I'm glad I bought dumb ones several years back because they are double price now and like Stinsy says, full of Smart Eco crap which has to be bypassed if you want them to work with Solar diverters.

No doubt Nowty, you have been a major influence in my adoption of SH and its retrofit here at casa de. I vividly remember SWMBO and her reaction when I first suggested these a few years back, nae happy! Here she is these days doing the telling and chucking out excellent ideas. I paid £250 for a batch of SH a few years back, sold a pair to Fintray and the rest have went in here or at other properties. We have also had a couple of free pick ups too. Still have two left over down in the cabin which I'm sure will find spaces somewhere here. I hope that we can turn the 19. Into sub 15kWh next day or so. Not sure I'd want much trickery on my SH's. I'll stick with app controlled timers. Although I can see there are many scenarios.

[Stinsy]

Its the only reason Nowty Towers is still running with the gas boiler permanently off and combined with the Intelligent Octopus giving me 6 hrs of cheap rate to boost them to the max.

I have two giving a combined storage of about 15kWh and they just work so well along side the low power heatpump. And as we get towards spring there will be increasingly enough Solar to boost them automatically via my Immersun.

I'm glad I bought dumb ones several years back because they are double price now and like Stinsy says, full of Smart Eco crap which has to be bypassed if you want them to work with Solar diverters.

No doubt Nowty, you have been a major influence in my adoption of SH and its retrofit here at casa de. I vividly remember SWMBO and her reaction when I first suggested these a few years back, nae happy! Here she is these days doing the telling and chucking out excellent ideas. I paid £250 for a batch of SH a few years back, sold a pair to Fintray and the rest have went in here or at other properties. We have also had a couple of free pick ups too. Still have two left over down in the cabin which I'm sure will find spaces somewhere here. I hope that we can turn the 19. Into sub 15kWh next day or so. Not sure I'd want much trickery on my SH's. I'll stick with app controlled timers. Although I can see there are many scenarios.

Now you’ve got a shiny new 100A fuse you can whack those extra SH in and fill them with your newfangled cheap-rate electric.

[Joeboy]

Its the only reason Nowty Towers is still running with the gas boiler permanently off and combined with the Intelligent Octopus giving me 6 hrs of cheap rate to boost them to the max.

I have two giving a combined storage of about 15kWh and they just work so well along side the low power heatpump. And as we get towards spring there will be increasingly enough Solar to boost them automatically via my Immersun.

I'm glad I bought dumb ones several years back because they are double price now and like Stinsy says, full of Smart Eco crap which has to be bypassed if you want them to work with Solar diverters.

No doubt Nowty, you have been a major influence in my adoption of SH and its retrofit here at casa de. I vividly remember SWMBO and her reaction when I first suggested these a few years back, nae happy! Here she is these days doing the telling and chucking out excellent ideas. I paid £250 for a batch of SH a few years back, sold a pair to Fintray and the rest have went in here or at other properties. We have also had a couple of free pick ups too. Still have two left over down in the cabin which I'm sure will find spaces somewhere here. I hope that we can turn the 19. Into sub 15kWh next day or so. Not sure I'd want much trickery on my SH's. I'll stick with app controlled timers. Although I can see there are many scenarios.

Now you’ve got a shiny new 100A fuse you can whack those extra SH in and fill them with your newfangled cheap-rate electric.

Yes indeedy! This last couple a weeks has been odd. A lot of time waiting for it all to come in line. Now it has, weird... Turbine next.

[nowty]

Now you’ve got a shiny new 100A fuse you can whack those extra SH in and fill them with your newfangled cheap-rate electric.

But old Joeboy still needs his tails upgrading too, but I'd give it a go armed with a IR temp monitor.

Or the old test of, if the tails are too hot to touch its too much.

[Joeboy]

Now you’ve got a shiny new 100A fuse you can whack those extra SH in and fill them with your newfangled cheap-rate electric.

But old Joeboy still needs his tails upgrading too, but I'd give it a go armed with a IR temp monitor.

Or the old test of, if the tails are too hot to touch its too much.

Fully intending too. I'll have a go tonight
Looking out for another single 850W as I have a nice spot in front living room at side of bookcase out of any visual.